My first version used a plastic tent peg as a platform. The sling shot was held in place by a bolt and nut going into the handle from the bottom. This ultimately proved to be a weak point as the plastic handle of the sling shot broke over time from the stress at that point.
So when I bought new fishing line, I also bought another 8 inch corner brace.
I cut a 3 inch section off the "vertical" with a Dremel tool and a cutting wheel. I then attached the sling shot and the fishing reel to the corner brace using hose clamps. I may take off the hose clamps from the sling shot handle and replace them with tie wraps - not sure. When I grip the sling shot handle tight in my right hand, the clamps tend to bite into my palm a little bit. To secure it well would require a bunch of tie wraps, but it would make it more comfortable to use.
I've been practicing in the park and I've been getting my 1 ounce fishing weight to get over branches 50 - 60 feet high with no problems. I have discovered one thing, though. My fishing weights (not the one in the photos) are painted bright yellow. I think I am going to re-paint them with a very bright orange paint. The yellow ones are a bit hard to notice when they fall onto the grass amid a bunch of dandelions!
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Hello Larry,
ReplyDeleteA short strip of bright red surveyor tape works well and is easy to see as it flies through the air.
Ah, great minds think alike:
ReplyDeletehttp://boringhamradiopart.blogspot.com/2012/09/mark-iii-antenna-launcher.html
I found that the open-face reel offers much less resistance to the flight of the antenna launching weight than using an closed-face reel.
This is really a great tool that every amateur should have in his toolbox.